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-
- ABackup - User's Manual
-
-
-
-
-
- AboutThisDoc
-
- This manual describes release 2.00 of the utility ABackup. This
- program is (c)1992 by Denis GOUNELLE, any commercial usage or selling
- without author's written authorization is strictly forbidden. You can copy
- and spread this program at the following conditions:
-
- - all the files must be provided
- - none of the file must have been modified
- - you don't charge more than $6 for copy fee
-
- In spite of several tests, no warranty is made that there's no error
- in ABackup. YOU USE THIS PROGRAM AT YOUR OWN RISKS. In no event will I be
- liable for any damage, direct or indirect, resulting of the use of ABackup.
-
- Introduction
-
- ABackup is a backup program written for the Amiga. It can be used
- both to make a backup of your hard disk or to archive files, has a full
- Intuition interface, and can use XPK library. Under 2.0 system release,
- ABackup is able to recognize links and to manage high density disks.
-
- This program is SHAREWARE. If you find it useful, I invite you to
- send me $10 at the address listed below in order to become a registered
- user. Please use only :
-
- - checks from a French bank
- - cash (French Francs prefered, otherwise any currency of the E.E.C. is
- accepted, as well as US dollars and Swiss Francs ; in either case
- please add a little more for change fee)
- - checks from an European bank
-
- If you send me a check, it must be in French Francs and the beneficiary must
- be "M. GOUNELLE Denis". In either case, as a registered user, you will
- receive the next version of ABackup as soon as it will be available. You
- should be aware that this contribution fee only gives right to one update.
- If you want to receive the next updates regularly, a $20 contribution is
- required.
-
- Suggestions and/or criticisms will be always welcomed. Don't
- hesitate to write at the following address :
-
- M. GOUNELLE Denis
- Boite 71
- 6, rue des cailloux
- 92110 CLICHY - FRANCE
-
- You can also send a message to the following Internet address :
- gounelle@alphanet.ch. Note that this mailbox is not mine, so please send
- only short messages. As I don't have direct access to the messages, don't
- expect an answer before a dozen of days.
-
- Thanks to Michel SCHINZ (without him, this program would be still
- only at the planning stage) and Jean-Yves PROUX for their suggestions.
- Special thanks to Jean-Philippe RAPP for his numerous suggestions and
- constant supporting. Last, thanks to XPK library authors for their wonderful
- work.
-
- Getting_started
-
- ABackup can be run as well from CLI as from Workbench. From the CLI,
- you can invoke ABackup by a syntax as follows :
-
- ABackup [FROM directory] [BUFSIZE size] [NOCOMP ext,ext,...] [NOTASK]
-
- The BUFSIZE option allows to change the size of the read buffer (for
- example "BUFSIZE 64" asks for a 64 Kb buffer). By default, the buffer size
- is 4 Kb large. You can specify a directory name for backup (with the "FROM"
- option); by default, this one will be the current directory. The NOCOMP
- option allows to specify extensions of file names to don't compress. You can
- specify up to 10 extensions, separated by a comma (e.g.: "NOCOMP
- .info,.run").
- Usually, ABackup tries to create a child task that will perform all
- write operations (this speedup backup between 10-20%). If the task creation
- fails, ABackup will do write operations itself, just like the previous
- versions of the program. If the creation of the child task is a problem (no
- memory etc...) you can prevent ABackup to create it with the "NOTASK"
- argument.
-
- From the Workbench, you can change the size of the read buffer by
- adding a line of the form "BUFSIZE=<size in Kb>" in the "TOOL TYPES" field
- of ABackup icon. You can also specify extensions of file names to don't
- compress by adding a line of the form "NOCOMP=ext,ext,...", or prevent
- ABackup to create a child task by adding a line "NOTASK". Finaly, you can
- set ABackup as "DEFAULT TOOL" of an archive file.
-
- When the program starts, a screen is displayed with several gadgets
- in it : "Backup an AmigaDOS partition", "Restore", "Rebuild catalogue", and
- "Quit". Click on the gadget that matches the wanted action.
- The startup screen has also a menu with the "Config...", "About..."
- and "Quit" options. The first one allows to modify ABackup configuration
- (see "Configuration" section), the second one displays informations about
- the program, and the last one allows to quit ABackup.
-
- Configuration
-
- A window appears in the middle of the screen, with eight gadgets.
- The first three gadgets show the names of the viewer programs corresponding
- to the type of a file (ASCII file, IFF picture or other, see the "Viewing"
- section) and the two next the names of the external
- compression/decompression program (see the "Compression" section).
- At the bottom of the window, three gadgets enable to validate the
- changes, to validate and save the changes, or to cancel the changes. The
- configuration is saved to the "S:ABackup.config" file, which is loaded each
- time the program start.
-
- Requesters
-
- When using ABackup, often you'll see requesters with one message and
- one or two gadgets ("Ok", "Continue/Abort", "Yes/No").
-
- In any case, you can reply to a request by clicking on one of these
- gadgets, or by pressing the key corresponding to the first letter of a reply
- (for example, the "c" or "C" key for "Continue"). You can also press
- <RETURN> for a positive reply ("Ok", "Continue", "Yes") or <ESC> for a
- negative reply ("Abort", "No").
-
- Finally, when a requester message asks for inserting a disk in one
- drive, inserting a disk in this drive will be detected and this will be
- equivalent to clicking on the "Continue" gadget.
-
- Backup_an_AmigaDOS_partition
-
- A requester is displayed that allows to choose the directory to
- backup. By clicking on the "Cancel" gadget, ABackup will return to the main
- screen. By clicking on the "OK" gadget, ABackup will load the directory
- contents. For breaking this loading, click on the "Abort" gadget or press
- one of the following keys : "a", "A", <ESC>.
-
- As directory contents is loaded, the selection screen is displayed.
- This screen consists of a gadgets set and a bottom area where are displayed
- files and subdirectories of the current directory. At the start, no file and
- no directory are selected. Files are displayed in black on grey background,
- and directories in white on grey. Directories with at least one descendant
- selected are displayed on a black background. You can scroll the list
- display by means of the vertical scroll bar on the right. The name of the
- current directory is displayed in the area named "Directory". The number and
- size of the selected files are displayed in the area named "Selection".
-
- For selecting a file in a list, click on the name of this file : it
- is displayed in black on a blue background and the "Selection" area is
- updated. If you click on a selected file, this one will be unselected. For
- selecting or unselecting a set of files, click on the first file and keep
- down the left button while moving your mouse. Last, to view a file, just
- double-click on its name (see "Viewing" section).
- When you click on a directory name, two actions can happen. If this
- directory is empty, it will be selected or unselected as a file. Otherwise,
- the list display will be modified in order to make visible the contents of
- this directory. The "Directory" area will be updated. To go back to the
- previous directory, you can either click on the "Parent" gadget (at the top
- of the scroll bar), either click on the hidden gadget between the left
- border of the screen and the left border of the display area. If you went
- very down in the tree structure, you can go back straight at the initial
- directory by clicking on the "Root" gadget (at the top of the scroll bar).
-
- At the top of the screen, there are two rows of identical gadgets.
- These ones allow to select (first row) or to unselect (second row) files
- and/or subdirectories in a global way according to various criterions :
-
- All
- Selects or unselects all files and subdirectories from the current
- directory.
-
- By name
- Selects or unselects files and subdirectories according to a name or
- a pattern. A pattern is a name with one of the special AmigaDOS
- characters: '#' or '?' under 1.3 system release, '#', '?', '|', '~',
- '%', parenthesis, or brackets under 2.0 system release. For more
- informations, refer to your AmigaDOS User's manual.
- A window is displayed with a string gadget. Type in it a name or a
- pattern and validate your choice by pressing <RETURN>. Now, click
- either on the "==" gadget, if you want files or subdirectories whose
- name matches the name or the pattern you typed, either on the "!="
- gadget, if you want files or subdirectories whose name doesn't match
- the name or pattern you typed. You can cancel this operation by
- clicking on the window close gadget.
-
- By date
- Selects or unselects files and subdirectories according to the date
- of the last change. A window is brought up with a string gadget.
- Type in a date and/or time respecting the following syntax :
- DD-MM-YY or DD-MMM-YY for the date (for example, "01-03-92" or
- "01-Mar-92"), and HH:MM:SS for time. Validate your choice by
- pressing the <RETURN> key, then click over the "<=" gadget or the
- ">=" gagdet, according as you want to get earlier files and
- subdirectories or later ones in relation to the typed date.
- If you typed only time, the date will be the day date. If you typed
- only a date, time will be "23:59:59", when you click over "<=", or
- "00:00:00", when you click over ">=". You can cancel this operation
- by clicking on the window close gadget.
-
- By bits
- Selects or unselects files and subdirectories according to their
- protection bit. A window is brought up with a string gadget. For
- testing one or several bits (see the AmigaDOS command "Protect"),
- type them in this gadget and validate your choice by pressing the
- <RETURN> key. Click now over the "= 1" or "= 0" gadget according as
- you want files and subdirectories with their bits set or unset. You
- can cancel this operation by clicking on the window close gadget.
-
- The "Reverse" gadget allows to invert a selection : all selected
- files become unselected and all unselected files become selected. The
- "Recursive" gadget controls the action of the "Reverse" gadget, just as it
- controls the "All", "By name", "By date" and "By bits" gadgets : it shows if
- selecting or unselecting will or will not concern files that are in the
- subdirectories of the current directory.
- Last, the "OPTIONS" and "START" gadgets allows to modify backup
- options and to start backup (see just below).
-
- The selection screen has three menus too. The "Size" menu allows to
- change unit ABackup is using to display the size of selected files. You can
- choose beetween Bytes (the default unit), Kilobytes and Megabytes. If you
- select the "Automatic" item, ABackup will automatically change of unit,
- depending of the size of selected files. Later, we'll describe the
- "Selection" menu. The "Backup" menu has the following options :
-
- Start
- Allows to start backup. If you selected no file and no subdirectory,
- an error message will be displayed. The backup progression will be
- explained below.
-
- Options
- Allows to change the backup options. These options are as follows :
-
- Compress
- Tells what kind of compression will be done : none (NO), with
- the functions integrated to ABackup (Internal), with an external
- program (External) or with XPK library. For more informations,
- see "Compression" section.
- Note that ABackup will not try to compress files with a ".lha",
- ".lzh", ".zoo", ".arc", ".pp" or ".z" file name extension, as
- well as any file less than 512 bytes long. You can specify other
- extensions to don't compress, with the NOCOMP argument (see
- "Getting_started" section).
-
- Verify
- Reread and compares every track after writing it. Meaningful
- only for backup to disks.
-
- Backup links
- Backup selected links. Meaningful only under 2.0 system release.
- An archive which contains links can of course be restored even
- under 1.3 system release (links will simply be not restored).
-
- Set archive bit
- Once backup is over, sets the archive bit (see the AmigaDOS
- command "Protect") of all files and subdirectories successfully
- backed up.
-
- Backup report
- Indicates if ABackup has to create a backup report. This one can
- be printed or written to a file.
-
- Backup to
- Selects an archive. If a given name is of the form "df?:" (e.g.
- df0:, df1:, etc....), ABackup will use the specified disk unit
- by writing on disks in a special format. In this case, you need
- not to format your backup disks. Otherwise, ABackup will create
- an archive file with the name you specified. Note ABackup has
- the capability of creating this file on any device that accepts
- the AmigaDOS "Seek" function.
- You can use several disk drives for backup : specify the names
- of the drives separated by a coma. For exemple, if you specify
- "df0:,df1:" ABackup will start with disk in df0:, then continue
- with the disk in df1:, go back to df0:, etc... The program will
- automatically (without requester) toggle from one drive to the
- next, if the disk in the new drive has been changed.
-
- At the bottom of the window, three gadgets allow to validate
- changes, to validate and save your new options or to clear changes.
- Options are saved in the "S:ABackup.config" file, that is loaded at
- every program starting.
-
- Estimations
- Gives an estimation of backup time and of the number of disks
- needed. The result depends of the size of the selected files, of
- backup options, and of the processor inside your Amiga. It may not
- be accurate if other tasks are running during the backup. ABackup
- always suppose that you backup a hard disk to floppies.
-
- About...
- Displays some informations on this program. To continue, click
- within the window, over the window close gadget or press any key.
-
- Abort
- Allows to abort whole operation. After it asked to confirm, ABackup
- returns to the main screen.
-
- For starting a backup, you have to select the "Start" item in
- "Backup" menu or the "START" gadget. If you asked for backup report to
- be written to a file, a requester will be brought up so that you can
- specify a name for this file. If you click over the "Abort" button in
- this requester, no report will be generated.
-
- At this time, a new screen is brought up with different infos on
- the backup progression. In the bottom area, the file names pass by,
- followed by an info on the current operation (compression, writing,
- etc....). If you asked for a disk backup, you can remove the last disk
- from your drive as soon as the "Archive closed" message will be
- displayed.
- If an error occurs (and if this is possible), ABackup will
- display a message to ask if you want to continue in spite of that.
- Obviously, ABackup will not make a backup for the file that maked
- problem.
- At the top and on the right of this screen there are two
- gadgets. The "* ABORT *" gadget allows to abort a backup. After it asked
- to confirm, ABackup returns to the selection screen. The "* PAUSE *"
- gadget allows to pause a backup for a while. Note that it can happens
- ABackup doesn't react immediatly when you click over one of these
- gadgets but, in all cases, your request will be registered before the
- next write operation in the archive.
-
- Once a backup ended (a message will inform you of that), ABackup
- returns to its main screen.
-
- Error_recovering
-
- When an error occurs while writing on a disk, you will see the
- following message "Write error on DFx:, should I try to recover ?". If
- you answer "NO", the backup will be aborted.
- If you answer "YES", ABackup will copy all data already written
- on the bad disk to a new disk, so backup will be able to continue. So,
- you will have to provide a new disk, of the same type than the bad one :
- you can't use (for example) a High Density disk (1.76 Mb) to replace a
- normal density disk (880 Kb).
- The copy will be processed using a single disk drive. In order
- to limit disks swap, ABackup will allocate a buffer in memory. The size
- of this buffer will not be greater than half of the largest CHIP memory
- block still available, *OR* than the size of three tracks. If this
- buffer can't be allocated, the backup will be aborted.
-
- CAUTION :
-
- If you made an error recovering during a backup, I
- strongly advise you to verify the archive so you'll be
- sure that all went well.
-
- Viewing
-
- From the selection screen, you can view any file just by
- double-clicking on its name. A window appears, with several gadgets.
- The "Execute" gadget shows the name of the viewer to use for the
- selected file. The file's name and type (from which the name of the
- viewer is set) are displayed above (in white). You can, of course,
- modify the name of the program to use. The two lower gadgets allow you
- to start viewing ("OK" gadget), or to abort operation ("CANCEL" gadget).
- If you try to view a link, ABackup will just display the name of
- the file or directory the link points to.
-
- Compression
-
- ABackup is able to compress files to backup, in order to reduce
- archive size. By default, the algorithm is the same as for the
- "compress" UNIX command : you can hope for a space-saving from 30% to
- 50%, but the backup is seriously slowed down with a "normal" 68000 based
- Amiga.
-
- You can use external compression and decompression programs,
- which may be faster and/or better. All you have to do is the modify
- ABackup configuration (see "Configuration" section) : enter the command
- to execute both for compression and decompression, specifying "%s" as a
- source file and "%d" as a destination file. For exemple, in order to use
- the commands provided with PowerPacker (copyright by Nico François),
- enter :
-
- Crunch %s %d NOLED NOPER NOSUFFIX EFFICIENCY 1
-
- as compression program, and :
-
- Decrunch %s %d QUIET
-
- as decompression program. You won't be able to select external
- compression as long as no command name has been given. When backing up
- and restoring, ABackup automatically runs the specified commands, and
- redirect their output to the "T:ABackup.log" file. You can look at this
- file if an error occurs.
-
- This version of ABackup can also use the XPK library (on Fish
- disk 754). This library will be automatically recognized if already
- installed in your "LIBS:" directory. You will then be able to select one
- of the available compression method, in the options window. The name of
- the methods are prefixed with a "x" character, like "x BLZW".
-
- Take care that it won't be possible to restore an archive
- compressed with an external program, or with XPK library, if you don't
- have the corresponding decompression program. Though, you should avoid
- to use external compression if you plan to give the archive to somebody
- else.
-
- Restore
-
- A menu is brought up allowing to specify the archive that must
- be used. If you click on the "Abort" gadget, ABackup will return to the
- main screen. The gadgets corresponding to your drives are automatically
- enabled or disabled according to your hardware configuration. If you
- click on one of these enabled gadgets, ABackup will ask you to insert
- the last disk in the backup set, for loading the catalogue. If you click
- on the "File" gadget, a requester will be brought up so that you specify
- your archive file. If you click on the "Abort" gadget, ABackup will
- return to the main screen.
-
- Once you have selected an archive, ABackup will load the
- catalogue of files backed up in this archive and will display the
- selection screen. This screen is almost the same as that one used for
- backup. The only difference is that the "Directory" field shows where
- the files will be restored, and that options are as follows :
-
- Restore dir. tree
- Indicates if selected files will be all restored in the same
- directory (NO) or if the tree structure will be restored too
- (YES).
-
- Restore date
- Indicates if ABackup will set the date of restored file to the
- date they had at backup time.
-
- Restore links
- Restore selected links. Meaningful only under 2.0 system
- release.
-
- Restoration report
- Indicates if ABackup has to generate a restoration report. This
- one can be printed or written to a file.
-
- Restore empty dirs
- Indicates if ABackup has to create empty backed up directories.
-
- Replace files
- Indicates what ABackup has to do if a file it has to restore
- already exists. Choices are : "No" (file is not replaced), "Yes"
- (file is replaced), "Ask for" (ABackup will ask to confirm for
- every existing file), "Older" (ABackup replaces this file only
- if this one is older than the backed up file).
-
- Restore to
- Usually, files are restored in the directory where they were at
- the time of the backup, but you can specify another directory by
- this gadget.
-
- For starting a restoration, you have to select the "Start" item
- in "Restore" menu or the "START" gadget. If you asked for restoration
- report to be written to a file, a requester will be brought up so that
- you can specify a name for this file. If you click over the "Abort"
- button in this requester, no report will be generated.
- At this time, a new screen is brought up with different infos on
- the restore progression. In the bottom area, the names of restored files
- pass by, followed by an info on the current opération (reading,
- etc....). If an error occurs (and if this is possible), ABackup will
- display a message to ask if you want to continue in spite of that.
- Obviously, ABackup will not restore the file that maked problem. If some
- links are to be restored, ABackup will restore them after all other
- files and directories are restored.
- At the top and on the right of this screen there are two
- gadgets. The "* ABORT *" gadget allows to abort a restoration. After it
- asked to confirm, ABackup returns to the selection screen. The
- "* PAUSE *" gadget allows to pause restoration for a while. Note that it
- can happens ABackup doesn't react immediatly when you click over one of
- these gadgets but, in all cases, your request will be registered before
- the next read operation in the archive.
- Once a restoration ended (a message will inform you of that),
- ABackup returns to its main screen.
-
- Rebuild_catalogue
-
- This function is not very useful unless an archive file has been
- damaged, or you have loose the last disk of a backup set. It will
- rebuild the archive catalogue, which is required to restore. You should
- be aware that this function can't handle all errors, and may not be
- usuable by unexperienced users.
-
- If the archive is a file, you should make a copy of it in order
- to avoid to destroy it if operation fails. You will also have to check
- that the first header is at a sector boundary, that is, at an address
- multiple of 512 (you can use the "TYPE archive HEX" command, the first
- and the third long word of a header are always set to the "ABCK" value).
- If the archive is on disks, you must give the disks in the same order
- they were written to. This function works even if disks are missing.
-
- The archive selection screen appears (see "Restore" section).
- When you have selected the archive, ABackup loads its content, file
- after file : a new screen appears with some informations about the
- processing. Once the content is loaded, the new catalogue will be
- created. If the archive is on disks, ABackup will ask you for a new disk
- to write the catalogue. Use this disk a the last disk of the backup set,
- when restoring.
-
- The_Selection_menu
-
- ABackup has the capability of recording a file selection so that
- you can recall it later : this can be useful if you use frequently the
- same selections. These ones are kept as text files containing a set of
- commands : these files are in the "ABCK:" directory.
- In order to record a selection, choose the "Record" item in the
- "Selection" menu; then, do your selection as you do usually. Note that,
- during this recording, the "Backup" menu disappear (for the time being).
- Once you have ended, select the item "Save" in the "Selection" menu to
- save your selection. If you want to abort a recording, choose the item
- "Abort" in the "Selection" menu.
- To recall a selection, choose the "Load" item in the "Selection"
- menu. A file requester will be displayed allowing you to specify the
- selection file you want use. If you click on the "OK" gadget in this
- file requester, that file will be loaded and selection it contains will
- be executed.
-
- This is description of the selection language used by ABackup.
- This allows to create or modify a selection file as you like, by means
- of your usual text editor.
-
- CD : go back to root directory
- CD / go back to parent directory
- CD "dir" go down in given directory
- INVERT reverse selection
- RECURS {YES|NO} set recursivity flag
- INCLUDE ALL include all files
- INCLUDE "name" include given file
- INCLUDE NAME "name" {==|!=} select by name
- INCLUDE DATE "date" {<=|>=} select by date
- INCLUDE BITS "bits" {=0|=1} select by protection bits
- EXCLUDE ALL exclude all files
- EXCLUDE "name" exclude given file
- EXCLUDE NAME "name" {==|!=} exclude by name
- EXCLUDE DATE "date" {<=|>=} exclude by date
- EXCLUDE BITS "bits" {=0|=1} exclude by protection bits
-
- Here is an exemple of selection file:
-
- RECURS YES
- ; go back to root
- CD :
- ; clear any selection
- EXCLUDE ALL
- ; include all files with archive bit cleared
- INCLUDE BITS "a" =0
- ; exclude all ".o" files
- EXCLUDE NAME "#?.o" ==
-
- Note that empty lines and lines starting by a ";" character are
- ignored. Also note that ABackup stores automatically the recursivity
- indicator state at the beginning of your selection record : if you take
- a look at the created files you'll see they all beging by a "RECURS"
- command. If you want to be sure to clear a previous selection, it's
- recommended to start all your selections by clicking on the "ROOT"
- gadget and then on "EXCLUDE ALL".
-
- Usage_without_interface
-
- ABackup can be used from CLI, without it's graphic interface.
- This may be useful for doing automatical backup, with programs like
- "cron". Four operations are allowed from this level: backup, restore,
- rebuild catalogue, archive listing.
-
- Backup is started with a command like:
-
- ABackup BACKUP FROM dir TO arc SELECT {ALL|ARC|file} [OPTIONS
- {C|V|A|L}] [NOCOMP ext,ext,...] [VERBOSE] [REPORT file] [BUFSIZE
- size] [NOTASK]
-
- where "dir" is the directory to backup and "arc" the name of the archive
- to create. The "SELECT" argument allows to select files to backup: it
- must be followed by the name of a selection file (for exemple
- "ABCK:FullBackup"), by the keyword "ALL" which allow to select all
- files, or by the keyword "ARC" which allow to select all files with
- archive bit cleared.
- The "OPTIONS" optional argument allow to change backup options
- (CAUTION: by default, ALL options are reset) : "C" for compression, "V"
- for verifying, "A" to set archive bit, "L" to backup links. You can
- specify several options (for exemple "OPTIONS CV").
- The "REPORT" optional argument allow to have a backup report.
- Specify "PRT:" as a file name in order to have this report printed. The
- "VERBOSE" optional argument allow to have more messages during backup.
- The other arguments are described at the "Getting_started" section.
-
- Restore is started with a command like:
-
- ABackup RESTORE FROM arc [TO dir] SELECT {ALL|file} [OPTIONS
- {F|D|E|L}] [REPLACE {YES|ASK|OLDER}] [VERBOSE] [REPORT file]
- [BUFSIZE size] [NOTASK]
-
- where "arc" is the name of the archive. The "SELECT" argument allows to
- select files to restore: it must be followed by the name of a selection
- file (for exemple "ABCK:SourcesFiles") or by the keyword "ALL", which
- allow to select all files without having to create a selection file.
- The "TO dir" optional argument allow to restore files in the
- specified directory, rather than the directory they were at backup time.
- The "OPTIONS" optional argument allow to change restore options
- (CAUTION: by default, ALL options are reset) : "F" to restore all files
- in the same directory, "D" to restore date, "E" to restore empty
- directories, "L" to restore links. You can specify several options (for
- exemple "OPTIONS FE").
- The "REPLACE" optional argument allow to specify what ABackup
- has to do if a file to restore already exists. It must be followed by
- "YES" (or "Y", the file is replaced), by "ASK" (or "A", you will be
- asked for confirmation), or by "OLDER" (or "O", the file is replaced
- only if it's older than the one in the archive). By default, files are
- not replaced.
- The "REPORT" optional argument allow to have a restoration
- report. Specify "PRT:" as a file name in order to have this report
- printed. The "VERBOSE" optional argument allow to have more messages
- during restore. The other arguments are described at the
- "Getting_started" section.
-
- Rebuilding catalogue is started with a command like:
-
- ABackup REBUILD FROM arc [VERBOSE] [BUFSIZE size] [NOTASK]
-
- where "arc" is the name of the archive. The "VERBOSE" optional argument
- allow to have more messages during processing. The other arguments are
- described at the "Getting_started" section.
-
- Archive listing is started with a command like:
-
- ABackup LIST FROM arc [TO file] [NOTASK]
-
- where "arc" is the name of the archive. The "TO file" optional argument
- allow to write the listing into the specified file, rather than the
- console window. Specify "PRT:" as a file name in order to have the list
- printed. The other arguments are described at the "Getting_started"
- section.
-
- Program_history
-
- This program was developped on an Amiga 3000 UNIX-1 (6 Mb RAM,
- internal HD disk drive, internal hard disk of 100 Mb, external SyQuest
- drive of 88 Mb, external floppy disk drive, 1960 monitor and Star
- LC24-10 printer) connected by a null-modem cable to an A500 with 1 Mb
- RAM.
- ABackup was written almost in C language, and compiled with
- SAS/C 5.10b. DPaint IV (from Electronic Arts), SID2 (by Tim Martin), and
- DME (by Matt Dillon) were very useful too.
-
- 12-Mar-92 development beginnning
- 08-Jun-92 v1.00, 58036 bytes
-
- 20-Jun-92 v1.10, 59404 bytes
- o Handles High Density floppy disks (1.76 Mb).
- o When run from the Workbench, you can change the size of
- the read buffer with "BUFSIZE=<size in Kb>" in the "TOOL
- TYPES" field of ABackup icon.
- o Several changes in backup :
- - when there is any problem at initialization time, goes
- back to the selection screen
- - when an archive file exists, or there is already a disk
- in drive, asks to confirm before starting writing
- - tests if files to back up are protected against a read
- (opening a file works in any case, but under 2.0 system
- release you will be kicked out at the first read
- operation)
- - displays the compression rate for every file (after
- "OK")
- o Several changes in the interface :
- - added the "Size" menu in the selection screen
- (Bytes/Kb/Mb)
- - displays backed-up/restored percentage and remaining one
- - the "monitor" window (in blue) is larger when screen is
- in PAL mode
- o Time valuation more accurate (uses the "timer.device").
-
- 28-Jun-92 v1.20, 62616 bytes
- o Added the "Selection" menu in the selection screen : you
- can record a selection and recall it later.
- o Fixed several bugs :
- - as a result of an error in the computing of remaining
- place in the last disk, sometimes it wrote a catalogue
- overlapping two different floppies
- - when you swapped a disk during a file header writing, it
- forgot to set up the disk position at 0 (in the
- catalogue)
- - during a read, at the end of a disk, it detected one
- byte earlier it had to ask for the next disk.
- o For a by date selection, you can give the month name (e.g.
- "01-Jan-92")
- o When run from the Workbench, it does not open the small
- "console" window.
-
- 01-Jul-92 v1.30, 67640 bytes
- o Double-click upon a name starts a "view" operation
- o Under 2.0 system release, uses "dos.library" pattern
- matching functions (more powerful than SAS/C ones)
- o Added "Estimation" option in "Backup" menu
- o Displays error messages rather than error codes
- o Bug fixed in "draggin select": didn't displayed
- directories when scrolling list
- o Restore screen's title when "Abort" is selected on archive
- selection menu (Restore)
-
- 04-Jul-92 v1.31, 68316 bytes (Fish #706)
- o Added "Restore date" option
- o Added auditive beep in alert/wait functions
- o No more need for "arp.library" to make drives "BUSY" under
- 1.3 system release
- o Estimations more accurate (don't suppose that last disk is
- full)
-
- 22-Aug-92 v1.40, 78328 bytes
- o Can use several disk drives for backup
- o Full access from CLI ("batch" mode)
- o Bug fixed: always tried to decompress archive catalogue
- (even if it was not)
- o Bug fixed: when loading archive file catalogue, scanned
- all archive beginning (instead of going straight to the
- good location)
- o Preparation of non-dos partitions backup (most of the
- required code written)
- o Added visual beep to each auditive beep
-
- 09-Sep-92 v1.50, 81068 bytes
- o Added support for links under 2.0 system release (both
- hard and soft links are handled)
- o Added "Backup links" and "Restore links" options
- o Added "Automatic" item to "Size" menu
- o Added "NOCOMP ext,ext,..." argument
- o When requesting a disk for writing, verifies that the disk
- has really been changed before continuing
- o If an error occurs while writing on a disk, make one retry
- o Error in percentage computation corrected
- o On selection screen, directories with at list one child
- selected are displayed on a black background
- o No more overflow from "monitor" window if file name is too
- long
- o Bug fixed in SendPacket() function
- o Bug fixed in time computation (00:29:59 + 1 gave 01:00:00
- ... whoops !)
- o Forgotten trace message removed
-
- 07-Oct-92 v1.51, 81048 bytes
- o Any file or directory whose comment begins with "SKIPME"
- is ignored when loading directory tree
- o Bug fixed : no more problems if the size of a file change
- between the time we load directory tree and time we save
- the file
- o Bug fixed : didn't clear destination name between two
- restore (so the second was made is the same directory than
- the first)
- o Update status display when disk is changed
-
- 15-Oct-92 v1.60, 84312 bytes (Fish #759)
- o Added function to rebuild catalogue
- o Selection screen modified (added "OPTIONS" and "START"
- gadgets, etc...)
- o Estimations for 68000 Amigas corrected (thanks to JYP !)
- o If a file is read protected (under 2.0 system release) ask
- for retry
- o When restoring, display the name of the file created
- instead of the name in the archive
- o Restore option "At the same level" renamed "Restore dir.
- tree"
-
- 21-Oct-92 v1.61, 84472 bytes
- o From WB may be set as "DEFAULT TOOL" of an archive file
- o File type (for visualisation) : no longer binary when an
- <ESC> character is found
- o Window are now centered on the screen
- o Menus are no longer present during backup or restore
-
- 29-Oct-92 v1.70, 87016 bytes
- o Can use external programs for compression/decompression
- o Added a menu for the startup screen (Config, About, Quit)
- o Screen's title show what is the current operation
- o On selection screen, when restoring, the "Directory" field
- shows the destination directory
- o By default, compression is disabled
- o Documentation modified so it can be read with ADoc
-
- 11-Nov-92 v1.80, 88528 bytes
- o Creates a child task for disk write operations (speedup
- backup between 10-20%)
- o Sets archive bit only on files/dirs which have not it
- already set
- o Filenames are truncated to the left instead of the right
- ("Directory" field, "monitor" window, e.g. ".../foo/bar")
-
- 22-Nov-92 v2.00, 90492 bytes
- o Can use XPK library
- o Added the error recovering function
-
- Planned improvements :
- o Support for non-AmigaDOS partitions (AMAX, etc...)
-
-
-
-
-
-